NSW Budget: $47 million to tackle radicalisation in prisons

The NSW Government will invest $47 million over three years to increase the operational capacity of Supermax from 45 to 75, create a new high-security unit at Goulburn jail and establish a specialist team to combat radicalisation across all NSW jails.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Counter Terrorism and Minister for Corrections David Elliott said that this investment would enhance the comprehensive framework established by the NSW Government to keep the community safe from terrorism.

“Public safety is our number one priority. Our counter terror laws are the toughest in the nation and this investment will ensure that our jails are fully equipped to keep the community safe,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Mr Perrottet said the 2017-2018 Budget confirmed the NSW Government’s commitment to keep the most dangerous criminals locked up.

“This investment of $47 million over three years will provide for critical capacity expansion, as well as deradicalisation initiatives,” Mr Perrottet said.

Mr Elliott said that increasing the operational capacity of Supermax would allow convicted terrorists to be separated from other prisoners, reducing the risk of radicalisation within the prison system.

“The investment will help CSNSW address the evolving threat of radicalisation in our prisons and provide authorities with the intelligence they need to make decisions about a prisoner’s parole and any further detention,” Mr Elliott said.

The NSW Government’s 2017-18 Budget will see $47 million invested over three years to:

Increase the operational capacity of Supermax from 45 to 75;

Create a new 54-bed high-security unit at Goulburn jail; and

Establish a specialist unit, based at Silverwater jail, which will work alongside Police and other intelligence gathering agencies to combat radicalisation across all NSW jails.